WSJ:USB-C,NotLightning,FoundonAnniversaryiPhone

It looks like Apple is saying goodbye to the Lightning port, at least on the “iPhone 8.” Instead, Cupertino’s new flagship device will use an USB-C port. These and other important details highlight a new report by The Wall Street Journal.

According to “people familiar with the matter,” the iPhone 8 will be the first Apple handset to feature a flexible organic light-emitting diode or OLED screen. Previous models have all used liquid-crystal displays (LCD). Anticipating huge demand for this 10th anniversary iPhone, Apple has secured “sufficient components to enable mass production.”

Of the switch from Lightning to USB-C, The Wall Street Journal only notes:

They said Apple would introduce other updates including a USB-C port for the power cord and other peripheral devices instead of the company’s original Lightning connector.

Why the change? The biggest difference between USB-C and Lightning is the former’s ability to charge a device in minutes, not hours. USB-C is also standardized. In other words, it’s not just found on Apple devices.

The iPhone 8 is also expected to do away with the physical home button for the first time. Instead, the model is likely to include a new “function area.”

The iPhone 8 isn’t the only Apple handset expected to launch this year. An “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus” are also likely, as is a second-generation iPhone SE.